Spectrum-Cycles

Tom kellog, owner of Spectrum-​Cycles, is very simply a legend in the cycling world. He was the mastermind behind Ross’s Signature bikes and is truly one of the best designers in cycling. Back before fit kits, Tom Kellog was the closest thing to an automated geometry machine. My favorite riding bike of all time, my Merlin ti, proudly bears TK’s sticker.
Kellog was a designer for Merlin and was among the earliest custom builders to adopt titanium as his material of choice. I am very biased towards ti as a bicycle material and no other US builder puts out a finished frame quite like a Spectrum. Kellog is now using Seven Cycles as his frame builder which is certainly no downgrade from Merlin (or at least Tennesse’s Merlin). The only ti frames I’ve seen that approach the workmanship of a Spectrum are from a small italian builder named Passoni. Contrary to popular belief, TK does not build ti frames.
Besides his uncanny ability to size and fit a person perfectly to a frame, Kellog’s other biggest asset is painting and repair work. One thing Spectrums all have in common is shere beauty. When you buy a Spectrum, you get a frame cyborged to your body and can feel confident knowing your frame has more satorial splendor than the guy riding next to you. There was a mind numbingly beautiful Spectrum with gold leaf on its seast stay caps that almost made me weep. Normally gold on a bike looks like Prada on Snookie… tacky. Tom Kellog makes it work.
Beyond being an artisan, these are just good people (most custom builders are). Tom took the time to help me ID my Merlin and to offer suggestions on dealing with the goofy press in grease guard bottom bracket. Tom offers the one on one connection only possible with a custom builder backed by genuiness niceness.
If you truly want the best titanium bike money can buy, and you want to make your club mates sick with envy, get a Spectrum. I only wish Eric F’s fit me :(